Characterization, physical properties, and potential industrial applications of high oleic pennycress oil

Abstract

Field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) has been adapted as an off-season cover crop for the midwestern United States. It is a non-food crop that can be grown as a winter annual crop and harvested in-between corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seasons. High oleic pennycress (HOP) has been developed from field pennycress with the intention of producing pennycress oil with more desirable properties for industrial applications. In this work, the composition and physical properties of HOP oil have been characterized. As expected, the oil was predominantly composed of oleic acid (62.6%) and had a low saturated fatty acid content (4.1%). The cold flow properties of HOP oil were superb, with a cloud point of − 24 °C and a pour point of − 35 °C. Additional properties including antioxidant content, viscosity, oxidative stability, and lubricity were analyzed. Compared with field pennycress oil, HOP oil had better cold flow properties, but lower oxidative stability and antioxidant content. Thus, HOP oil has advantages in low temperature applications, while field pennycress oil is more suitable for high temperature applications. Structure property relationships between the fatty acid composition and physical properties of the oils are discussed.